Serenoa repens is the herb everybody uses for the hyperandrogen conditions of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), polycystic ovarian syndrome, and even baldness.

#24 Saw Palmetto is a fan palm whose leaves sometimes reach two feet in length.

I see men chewing on the dried fruit of this herb as they know they need it, just like I see them chewing on dried ginseng when they need that herb. At least this happens in my neck of the woods. But I am used to being around people who know about herbs and how to use them.

Most country people have to know how to take care of themselves with herbs because you cannot always make it into town and doctors nowadays surely do not come to your house. And you know they will not travel to get to you if you live out in the country. Country folk grow their own herbs and food, and trade with each other on what they need.

Serenoa repens has helped many people with symptoms of hyperandrogen problems.

Androgen, also called androgenic hormone or testoid, being a precursor hormone, controls, and maintains, sex characteristics in our species of humans. It is a generic term for synthetic or natural compounds that bind to the androgen receptor.

Androgen is the precursor for estrogen. Men have estrogen levels too. Their levels are just not as high as in women. It is also the precursor for testosterone, androstenedione, and dihydrotestosterone, which are the male hormones that attach to the androgen receptor.

It is much simpler to go to the health food store and buy your saw palmetto than it is to go through all those not fun tests at the doctor to find out there is nothing they can do for you. Sometimes they even give you another medication that does not work. But you do need to check with your doctor first to clear yourself of cancer.

If you have symptoms, please do not wait to go see your doctor until it becomes full blown problem, like cancer. They can help you long before that time. If you let it go then they can do all those things they do to you which nearly kills you if you do get cancer.

They might even save your life. Yes, I said might.

But once you have cancer you can always get some salvestrol, which we know kills cancer and not you.

And there are doses to keep taking after you have been cured so that it does not multiply again, to the amount the doctors can find.

On the other hand it would really be nice to get something to use for your symptoms now.

And that would be saw palmetto.

The fruit of this great plant contains fatty acids, flavonoids, and phytosterols which are the compounds that make it such a great herb to use for these conditions. The extract of the fruit is what is used for health benefits. The fruit (berries) also contain polysaccharides which have been known to boost the immune system and reduce inflammation.

And it can be used for eating but it can be bitter the greener it is.

It grows mostly in warm climates like Florida and has been used to treat some kind of fish poisoning by the Bahamians and the Seminoles. But it also grows as far north as North Carolina along the coast.

From ethnobotanical reports we have information, on indigenous habitants, that this herb has been known by many names including: tala (Choctaw); cani (Timucua); talco :b^1"big palm" (Mikasuki); guana (Taino?); talimushi ("palmetto's uncle", Choctaw); ta:lal a kko ("big palm", Creek); ta :la (Koasati); taalachoba ("big palm", Alabama). These people knew what they needed it and used it for. (Now you know where the name Choctaw Ridge came from, in that song long ago sung by Bobby Gentry, where Billie Joe McAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge in Mississippi.)

This herb has been used throughout the years for many health conditions including migraines, chronic pelvic pain, chronic bronchitis, asthma, to increase urine flow, sore throat, cough, colds, to promote relaxation, cancer, and as an aphrodisiac.

The combination of nettle extract and saw palmetto has been used as a health treatment for BPH.

The urethra in men runs through the prostate gland and that is the tube that empties the urine, and sperm, from the body. Therefore if the prostate gland is inflamed men can have a problem with urination when it is swelling against the urethra.

This gland is also a muscle as well as a sex organ, and it keeps your sperm healthy. You can help your prostate remain healthy throughout your lifetime by always having a good exercise routine and drinking plenty of good water daily.

Your prostate has its own immune system but you also need to flush out your toxins once in a while by doing a cleansing routine, which chlorella can help you with. Of course destressing and relaxation techniques will improve your health as you deal with the daily stress of life. You must take care of your own health as no one else can do this for you.

I stress that you should definitely go to your doctor to find out that you do not have prostate cancer in the first place. Then you can breathe more safely.

Experiments have shown that saw palmetto inhibits the growth of tumor cells, so it may be of use in cancer treatment as well. It is important when taking anything to know where it came from and that it is not processed. You can make your health better by choosing organic products.

Saw palmetto has been used as far back as the Mayans, and it is a licensed product in Europe.

Men usually do not like to talk about this, but the prostate begins about the size of a walnut. However as men age this can become as large as an egg. This can cause problems with the urethra as we stated earlier, as it goes through the prostate gland in men. And I stress, if it becomes enlarged it can impede the process of urination.

This is shown to happen in men in their fifties. However, it seems to be happening to some men much earlier these days. As a matter of fact, it has been starting to happen to men as early as their thirties or forties. If you find that it is happening to you then you should go to your doctor and discuss it with him.

I have read there are several nutrients that are beneficial in keeping good prostate health throughout your life. These are: Vitamin K2, alpha-tocotrienol (which is a very beneficial form of Vitamin E), Vitamin D, Calcium and Magnesium, and the mineral Selenium. Foods with these are always good to keep in your diet, and you need to get your required 10 minutes daily in the sun without sunscreen. If your diet is so poorly lacking in these nutrients you can always take supplements.

One of the things that have been attributed to a less than healthy prostate system is DHT which is dihydrotestosterone. Your body converts your testosterone into DHT. Saw palmetto is the herb that can inhibit the enzyme 5 alpha reductase. This enzyme metabolizes testosterone into DHT. So if you take saw palmetto you can improve your prostate health, if you have this problem.

You can discuss this with your doctor as well.

Organic pumpkin seed oil is also used in combination with saw palmetto to keep your prostate healthy. Or you can eat pumpkins seeds. They are delicious.

Saw palmetto has been studied and said to be beneficial in keeping cancer at bay.

Most men that have a handle on herbs and/or their health, already know about the benefits of saw palmetto. If you do not, then maybe it is time you did a little research on your own, for your health.

Happy hunting and the best of health to you all.